End opening carton for tent equipment



0d. 7, 1969 SHERMAN 3,471,007

END OPENING CARTON FOR TENT EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 10, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet l lA/VENRDR: flLAN E. SHERMAN HT'I'ORNE vs 7,1969 v I A. E. SHERMAN 3,471,007

END OPENING CARTON FOR TENT EQUIPMENT Filed Sept. 10, 1968 a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 48 Y 74 40 7 1 7. 40 48 'z .8. 22 Z L 1 ./.3.

NVEMTQR: HI AN E. SHERMAN HrToQn/EYS United States Patent US. Cl. 20645.14 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carton having a vertical upstanding configuration including a box insertable thereinto and removable therefrom, for containing tent equipment. The carton is adapted to function effectively in a four-fold capacity. It may originally be employed to package a set of tent components for storage at the manufacturing site. With the status thereof unchanged, the carton will serve for shipping to a sales site. At the sales site, two simply effected manual operations will change the carton into a display and openfor-inspection status. For the purchaser or ultimate owner, the carton will provide a handy container for the tent equipment whenever the latter is not in use.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The primary objective of this invention is to provide a novel carton having a vertical concept for packaging, storing, shipping and displaying merchandise for sale, the merchandise being a tent body and any such therewith associated accessories requisite for the erection of a tent. Subsequent to a tent setup and dismantling operation, it is a further objective of this invention to provide for the ultimate owner thereof an always available compact receptacle for storage or transportation purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention includes four major components, these being; a conventionally constructed vertically elongated container or rectangular carton; a novel vertically elongated lower insert; a novel nonelongated upper insert originally superimposed upon said lower insert within the carton; and a conventionally constructed flap-end-closured box of rectangular configuration, all of these components being made of cardboard or like material. The last named box component is adapted to contain the accessories requisite for tent erection, and as will appear, when said box is in proper position within the carton, a resultant compartment will automatically be provided for the reception and containment of the folded tent body proper.

A pronounced or relatively deep score or perforation separating line extends horizontally across the front and side panels of the carton, but not across its rear panel. This separation line lies in a plane above the top marginal edge of the lower elongated insert and the thereto contiguous bottom marginal edge of the upper nonelongated insert. Consequently as will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and the detailed description below, severance along the pronounced perforation line will result in a carton having a hingedly connected integral upper end closure section wherein the nonelongated insert remains nested. In other words as will appear, severance of the carton along the pronounced perforation line will produce a flip-top lid for the carton.

Both of the inserts are similarly constructed. Each of them is fashioned from a rectangular cardboard blank, that is transversely scored and longitudinally both scored and split whereby to provide when folded, a front panel flanked by opposed side panels, and three overlapping bottom end flap panels which serve as a bottom reinforcement and also to square the box.

3,471,007 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 "ice The invention is illustrated on two sheets of drawings that accompany this specification, and objects and advantages not specifically noted hereinbefore will be apparent or pointed out in the detailed description that will follow with reference to said drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a tent carton constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a left side elevational view of said carton;

FIGURE 3 is a front elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 4 is a right side elevational view thereof;

FIGURE 5 is a left side elevational view of the carton, partly in section, illustrating the flip-top lid feature thereof;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the upper portion of the carton taken on the line 77 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 8--8 of FIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 with the illustrated components of the carton in a position corresponding to that of FIGURE 5;

FIGURES 10 and 11 are fragmentary vertical sections taken respectively on the lines 1010 and 1111 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a detail view of the elongated insert component for the main body of the carton;

FIGURE 13 is a view on a reduced scale of the FIG- URE 12 insert in blank form;

FIGURE 14 is a detail view of the nonelongated insert for the flip-top lid or hinged upper end closure of the carton; and

FIGURE 15 is a view, on reduced scale, of the FIG- URE 14 insert in blank form.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The composite tent carton embodying the concepts of this invention is designated as a whole by the numeral 20, and is comprised of four cooperating main components. Included in these components are: an elongated carton proper generally designated 22; a first elongated insert generally designated 24 and shown per se in FIGURE 12; a box generally designated 26 that is adapted to enclose the tent poles and accessories such as guy ropes, stakes and the like; and a second insert fitting in the top of the box and generally designated 28 and shown per se in FIG- URE 14, this insert being similar to the insert 24 but not being in elongated form.

The elongated carton 22 is formed in the usual manner from a cardboard blank appropriately scored for folding to provide, as viewed in the drawings: a front panel 30; a rear panel 32; a left side panel 34; a right side panel 36; a relatively narrow flap panel 38 that as shown particularly in FIGURE 8, engages against the marginal edge portion of the rear panel 32 and is adhesively secured thereto as is understood; a first pair of top closure panels 40; a second pair of top closure panels 42 that overlie said first pair; a first pair of bottom closure panels 44; and a second pair of closure panels 46 that underlie said first pair of bottom closure panels. Appropriate means, such as suggested by the staple elements 48, secure the top closure flaps in proper position, and staple elements 50 serve likewise with respect to the bottom closure flaps. It will of course be understood that no claim is made herein to this conventional carton construction per se.

In accordance with the teachings of the present invention however, a pronounced comparatively deep continuous horizontal score or perforation line 52 is formed in the carton 20, said score line extending from the rear marginal edge of the left side panel 34, and across the front panel 30 to terminate at the rear marginal edge of the right side panel 36, as shown particularly in FIG- URES 2, 3 and 4.

The elongated insert 24 is formed from a rectangular blank 53 illustrated on a reduced scale in FIGURE 13. This blank is transversely scored, and longitudinally both scored and slit to provide when folded: a front panel 54; a left side panel 56; a right side panel 58; a first bottom fiap panel 60; a second bottom flap panel 62 adapted to underlie said first panel, and a third bottom flap panel 64 adapted to underlie the fiap panel 62. The top marginal edge of the blank and the therefrom formed insert 24 is designated by the reference numeral 66.

The box 26 is conventionally constructed and will not be described in detail. It includes a rectangular box body 68 with overlapping end flaps 70 at the top, and similar end flaps 72 at the bottom. The top and bottom end flaps may be secured in overlapped status by staples 74 as shown, or otherwise.

The nonelongated insert 28 is formed from a rectangular blank 75 illustrated on a slightly reduced scale in FIGURE 15. This blank is transversely scored, and longitudinally both scored and slit to provide when folded: a front panel 76; a left side panel 78; a right side panel 80; a first top flap panel 82; a second top flap panel 84 adapted to overlie said first panel; and a third top flap panel 86 adapted to overlie the panel 84. The bottom marginal edge of the blank and the therefrom formed insert 28 is designated by the numeral 88.

Prior to entering into a description of the invention in use, a few pertinent observations are given. Thus, with the carton 20 intact and with attention focused particularly on FIGURES 7 and 8, it is noted that the top marginal edge 66 of the elongated insert 24 is contiguous to the bottom marginal edge 88 of the nonelongated insert 28. It is also noted that the pronounced score line 52 lies in a horizontal plane above that of said contiguous edges. Consequently, assuming that a severance had been completed from one to the other end along the score line 52, the carton 22 would be divided into a main body portion having a common upper marginal edge 90 for the front panel 30, the left side panel 34, and the right side panel 36, and into a lid portion having a common lower marginal edge 92 for the front panel 30, the left side panel 34, and the right side panel 36. Inasmuch as the severance operation would be limited to the front and side panels of the carton 22, the hinge connection, which is simply a fold line, indicated at 94 formed in the rear panel 32 between the carton main body and lid portions, would be an automatic resultant formation.

It is furthermore noted that when the box 26 is in place against the rear wall 32 of the carton, an elongated space or compartment 96 for the reception of the folded tent body (not illustrated) is provided. The compartment 96 is open at the top, defined at the bottom by the panel 60 of the insert 24, and in its horizontal aspect by the box 26, together with the front panel 76 and the side panels 78 and 80 of said insert, as should be clear from FIGURES and 8. It is into this compartment 96 that the tent body proper may be inserted, removed whenever desired, and reinserted.

It will first be assumed that at the tent manufacturing site, the four major components listed above are on hand, and a tent packaging operation is undertaken. At this time the bottom end closure panels 44 and 46 will have been previously stapled together whereas the free top end closure panels 40 and 42 would be open and extended upwardly as is understood.

Thereupon, the first insert assembly 24 would be entered into the carton 20 with its front panel 54 contiguous to the front panel 30 of the carton, the side panel 56 contiguous to the left side panel 34 of the carton, the side panel 58 contiguous to the right side 36 of the carton, and the unsecured bottom flaps 60, 62 and 64 overlapped and disposed against the bottom panels 44 of said carton.

Assuming now that the tent poles and other accessories had been placed in the box 26 and the closure flaps thereof had been stapled, said box would be positioned in the carton 20 against the rear wall 32 thereof, thus producing the compartment 96. The tent body proper (not shown) would be folded appropriately and then deposited into said compartment.

Next, the second insert assembly 28 would be superimposed in the carton 20 upon the insert assembly 24, with its front panel 76 contiguous to the front panel 30 of the carton, the side panel 78 contiguous to the left side panel 34 of the carton, the panel contiguous to the right side 36 of the carton, and the unsecured top flap panels 82, 84 and 86 overlapped. Thereupon the top end closure panels would be overlapped and stapled as at 48. As should be apparent, the packaged tent and accessories would now be in proper condition for temporary storage or shipping to a salesroom and display site.

Assuming now that it were desired to display the tent merchandise at the sales site, severance along the perforation line 52 would produce the hinge connection 94 and thus the flip-top type of lid shown in open status in FIGURE 9. The staple 74 would also be removed so that the closure flaps 70 of the box 26 could be swung upwardly as suggested in broken lines, thus providing for removal and inspection of the contents.

Cartons 20 laden with identical tent equipment as that displayed could of course be transferred to a purchaser intact, with the severance operation by said purchaser being effected at the ultimate destination prior to tent erection. Following use of the tent and subsequent dismantling, the various components may again be replaced in the box 26 and compartment 96, the flip-top lid can be swung to closed position about the hinge 94, and the resultant carton may be stored or transported as desired and as should be understood.

Various changes and modifications may be made within this invention as will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a carton for packaging, shipping, displaying and storing tent equipment, the combination comprising: an elongated rectangular carton body closed at the bottom and including a front panel, a rear panel, a left side panel and a right side panel connecting the front and rear panels, with overlapping top closure panels; a first or elongated insert positioned within the lower portion of the carton body; a rectangular box adapted to contain the tent accessories appropriately positioned in the carton body so as to provide therein a rectangular compartment adapted to contain the tent body proper, a second or nonelongated insert superimposed within the carton body atop said first insert, with the bottom edge portion of the second insert contiguous to the top edge portion of the first insert; means for separating the carton body extending across the front and side panels but not across the rear panel thereof, said means lying in a plane above the contiguously disposed edge portions of said first and second inserts; and a hinged connection in the rear wall of the carton body whereby to enable that portion of the carton body above the means for separating the carton body function in a flip-top lid capacity.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the means for separating the carton body comprises a pronounced horizontal perforation line formed in the carton body extending across the front and side panels but not across the rear panel thereof, said perforation line lying in a plane above the contiguously disposed edge portions of said first and second inserts, and said hinged connection comprises a fold line in the rear wall of said carton body.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein following a severance operation along said pronounced perforation line, the first insert remains in position within the lower portion of the carton body with its top edge portion in a plane below that edge portion of the carton resultant from the severance operation; and wherein the second insert remains in position within the upper portion of the carton body with its bottom edge portion below that edge portion of the carton resultant from the severance operation, the existent contiguous relationship between the top edge portion of the first insert and the bottom edge portion of the second insert being adapted to remain constant except when said upper portion of the carton is swung to open position about the hinged connection aforesaid 4. The combination of claim 1 wherein the first or elongated insert is formed from a rectangular blank of material transversely scored and longitudinally both scored and slit to provide when folded along said score lines: a front panel; a left side panel; a right side panel; a first bottom flap panel; a second bottom flap panel adapted to underlie said first panel; and a third bottom flap panel adapted to underlie the second bottom flap panel, said insert being positioned in the lower portion of the carton body with its overlapped bottom flap panels disposed against the closed bottom of the carton body, with its front panel disposed against the front panel of said body, with its left side panel disposed against the left side panel of said body, with its right side panel disposed against the right side panel of said carton body.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the second or nonelongated insert is formed from a rectangular blank of material transversely scored and longitudinally both scored and slit to provide when folded along said score lines: a front panel; a left side panel; a right side panel; a first top flap panel; a second top flap panel adapted to overlie the first top panel; and a third top flap panel adapted to overlie the second top flap panel, said insert being positioned in the upper portion of the carton body with its overlapped top flap panels disposed against the overlapped top closure panels of the carton body, with its front panel disposed against the front panel of said body, with its left side panel disposed against the left side panel of said body, with its right side panel disposed against the right side panel of said carton body.

6. The combination of claim 1 wherein the closable rectangular box is positioned against the rear panel of the carton body and extends upwardly therein to a plane above that of said means for separating the carton body, and wherein the rectangular compartment is defined within the carton body by said box and elongated insert.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,661,139 12/1953 Brooks 229-23 3,193,172 7/1965 Welshenbach 22923 JAMES B. MARBERT, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 229-23 

